Beyond LinkedIn: Why You Need Your Own Career Platform

You have a LinkedIn profile. Everyone does. It's the default for professional presence online.

But default isn't optimal.

LinkedIn is a rental property. You're building your career on someone else's land. The algorithm decides who sees your content. The template decides how you appear. The platform decides what features you get.

Here's why that matters—and what to do about it.

The Problem With LinkedIn as Your Only Presence

You Don't Control the Algorithm

LinkedIn decides what content surfaces. It favors engagement, which means controversy and viral posts beat thoughtful professional content. Your carefully crafted profile update gets buried under someone's hot take about remote work.

Your visibility depends on their business model, not your merit.

Everyone Looks the Same

LinkedIn profiles follow a rigid template. Same sections. Same layout. Same limitations. When every candidate looks identical, differentiation is nearly impossible.

A recruiter scrolling through profiles sees walls of sameness. Blue backgrounds. Headshots. Bullet points. Nothing stands out.

Features Change Without Warning

LinkedIn regularly changes how profiles work. Features disappear. Layouts shift. You have no control.

What you built yesterday might not work tomorrow.

Your Content Lives on Their Platform

That article you wrote? Those posts? They belong to LinkedIn. If your account is suspended, restricted, or you decide to leave—that content goes with it.

You're creating value for their platform, not building your own asset.

Spam and Noise

LinkedIn has become a sales channel. Recruiters, vendors, and connection request spam dominate notifications. The signal-to-noise ratio has deteriorated.

Serious professional conversations increasingly happen elsewhere.

The Case for Your Own Platform

A personal website is property you own. You control the experience, the design, the content, and the narrative.

You Control the Story

LinkedIn forces your career into their boxes. A personal website lets you tell your story your way.

Want to lead with your portfolio instead of your job history? Done. Want to highlight a career change instead of burying it? Easy. Want to show personality instead of corporate speak? Your call.

You're Findable Outside LinkedIn

Your LinkedIn profile might rank for your name. But it's competing with the platform's SEO priorities.

A personal website dedicated to you ranks better for relevant searches. "Jane Smith marketing consultant Chicago" finds janesmithmarketing.com before linkedin.com/in/janesmith12845.

No Algorithmic Interference

When someone visits your site, they see what you want them to see. No feed to scroll. No ads to distract. No posts to bury your content.

You have their full attention.

It Works When LinkedIn Doesn't

LinkedIn is blocked in some countries. Some companies have firewall restrictions. Some people simply prefer not to use the platform.

A personal website works everywhere, for everyone.

You Build a Long-Term Asset

Your website grows with your career. Content you create, testimonials you collect, projects you showcase—they accumulate value over time.

This is an asset you own, not content you've donated to a corporation.

What Goes on Your Personal Career Platform

Think of your website as your career command center.

Core Elements

About/Bio: Who you are, what you do, what you're looking for. Your narrative, your way.

Experience: Your work history, but presented how you choose. Expand on important roles. Minimize outdated ones. Add context LinkedIn doesn't allow.

Portfolio/Projects: Show your work. Link to live examples. Embed videos. Display images. Prove your skills visually.

Contact: Make it easy to reach you. Email, LinkedIn link (yes, you can still link to it), and any other relevant channels.

Optional Enhancements

Blog/Articles: Publish thought leadership on your platform, not someone else's. The SEO benefits accrue to you.

Testimonials: Collect recommendations and display them prominently. More impactful than LinkedIn's recommendation section.

Speaking/Media: Embed talks, podcasts, interviews. Multimedia content makes you memorable.

Resume Download: For those who want the traditional format. Offer it on your terms.

LinkedIn and Personal Site Together

This isn't either/or. The strategy is both/and.

LinkedIn's role:

• Network maintenance
• Connection discovery
• Company research
• Job alerts

Your website's role:

• First impression control
• Deep content showcase
• SEO for your name
• Professional credibility

Link between them. Your LinkedIn points to your website. Your website might include your LinkedIn for those who prefer that platform.

Building Your Platform Quickly

You don't need to become a web developer.

1. Start with content. What do you want people to know? What work do you want to showcase? What's your professional narrative?

2. Use a portfolio builder. Tools like Pastefolio generate professional sites in minutes. Paste your resume or LinkedIn content, choose a template, publish.

3. Get a simple domain. yourname.com or similar. Professional and memorable.

4. Populate and refine. Add projects, testimonials, and content over time.

You can have a functional personal platform in an afternoon.

The Professionalism Signal

Having a personal website signals several things to employers and clients:

You're serious about your career. You've invested time and resources in your professional presence.

You understand modern tools. You know how the internet works and how to leverage it.

You take ownership. You don't just accept defaults. You build what you need.

You're easy to research. Evaluating you is straightforward. Everything is in one place, presented well.

These signals matter, especially in competitive situations.

Common Objections

"I'm not technical enough."

Modern website builders require zero technical skills. If you can write an email, you can build a basic personal site.

"I don't have enough content."

Start with your resume and a few sentences about yourself. Expand over time. Something is better than nothing.

"LinkedIn is where recruiters look."

Recruiters start on LinkedIn. But when they're interested, they Google you. Own what they find.

"It costs money."

Less than you spend on coffee in a month. The ROI on career opportunities makes this trivial.

Taking Control

Your career is too important to delegate to a social media platform.

LinkedIn is a tool. Use it. But don't depend on it exclusively. The algorithm changes, your visibility changes with it. The platform's priorities aren't your priorities.

Build your own foundation. Own your narrative. Control your professional presence.

A personal website isn't just another social profile. It's career infrastructure that belongs to you.

Start building.